The Greater Halifax Partnership measures growth in Halifax, Nova Scotia by tracking key economic indicators to measure economic performance. Check out the snapshot for Q1, 2010

1. ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT 09-10
March 08 March 09 March 10 Trend
Q1 2010 % Change
LABOURFORCE
Employment (‘000) 211.3 215.9 217.7 1.0% 
Labour force size (‘000) 219.5 229.6 232.4 1.2% 
Participation rate 70.4% 71.8% 71.8% 0.0 _
Unemployment rate 4.8% 6% 6.4% 0.4 
Average Weekly Earnings $688 $758 $772 1.8% 
HOUSING
Average housing sale price
$218,909 $229,190 $248,065 8.2% 
* yr to date
New housing price index 148.2 150.5 151.5 1 
Housing starts* 423 274 466 70% 
Housing sales* 1324 975 1248 27.6% 
TRANSPORTATION
Aircraft passengers* 814,786 721,226 736,791 1.3% 
(enplaned/deplaned)
Total Cargo Volume* N/A 2,358,423 2,389,527 1.3% 
(metric tonnes)
Containerized Imports* N/A 234,323 267,134 14% 
(metric tonnes)
Containerized Exports* N/A 315,542 536,312 70% 
(metric tonnes)
CONSUMPTION
Inflation rate 2.2% 0.2% 2.5% 2.3 
Retail sales ($ millions)* 1,525 1,466.5 1,590 8.4 
CONSTRUCTION
Building permits 52.5 27.8 56.0 101.4% 
($ millions)
Investment in non-residential 72 98 100 2% 
construction ($ millions)
OFFICE SPACE
Q1 2010 VACANCY RATE Class A Class B Class C
% % %
Downtown Halifax 4% 4.5% 14.3%
Peripheral Halifax 17.5% 7.8% 6.9%
Dartmouth 18.5% 18.3% 12.9%
Bedford/Sackville 15.1% 9.0% 5.6%
AVERAGE RENT (per squarefoot,) Class A Class B Class C
Downtown Halifax $17.46 $13.29 $17.00
Peripheral Halifax $15.45 $11.80 $13.41
Dartmouth $14.50 $10.96 $9.43
Bedford/Sackville $14.86 $13.36 $13.15